Adjustable tool-handle.



1. W. COWELL.

ADJUSTABLETOOL HANDLE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 7.1914.

vPafend Apr. 4, 1916.

eration of a tool of this nature when de- UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE.

JOHN W. COWELL, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE TO Oli-HANDLE.

Application led November 7, 191.4.. Seria1No.87,758.

To all 'whomt may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. CowELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, .in'the county of Kent and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Tool-Handles, of which the following is a specification. l

vMy invention relates to hand tools and particularly to the handles thereof.

The main objegt in view is to provide a construction of hand tool such, for instance, as a screw driver having ajhandle that can be adjusted to serve as a lever or angle handle if power greater thanv is usually necessary is required' for the work, and' so that greater leverage may be afforded in the opsired.

Another object iS to provide a pivoted handle for a hand tool and adjustable means to fasten the handle normally against pivotal movement and in alinement with the tool proper.

A further object is to provide'a spring controlled slidable ferrule and coperating detail structure of the tool as the handle fastening meansreferred to.

lVith the foregoing as well as additional objects such as will later appear, in view, the invention has been embodied in several approved forms is illustrated in accompanying drawings vforming a part thereof.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is an elevation `partly in section of one form of tool embodying my invention. Fig. .'2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but partly broken away and taken at a right angle thereto. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modified form, with the handle arranged in position at a right angle to thev remainder of the tool. Fig. 4 is a view partly in side, elevation and partly in section of a second modified form.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, and first to the device of Figs. 1 andr2, numeralfdjdesignates a. screw-driving shank., Unlethe tool shown is a screw driver it is to be understood that my improvements are 'notlimited to use in connection with 'such a 'tool .1s it can equally well be applied to any tool having a shank or other part to be turned. This shank l 1s integral with a second and larger shank 2 forming therewith the turning body of the Patented 4,

tool. A shoulder or abutment 3 is at the junction of the Shanks. v

The body 1-2 at its upper endis bifurcated a suitable distance' to provide a slot 4 and Varms 5. A suitable form'of handle 6 1s provided, having a reduced lockfleg 7; This leg 7 is normally within the slot'- 4 and the handle as a wholel is mounted for pivotal movement by a pivot pin 8l passing through the arms a and the leg. The move' ment of the handle, however, is limited through the provision; of `abutment shoulders 9 and 10 respectiaely on the shank 2 and handle 6 which engagewhen the handle and body are in positions at right angles to each other. Leg 7 may itself serve as a tool and to this end its free is suitably shaped, for instance to form a pick or punch 11. It willbe noted from Fig. ltha-t the leg 7 or punch 11 extends below the shoulder 3.

Normally the handle 6 is locked in alinement with the body 1 2 and to this end an approved locking member is provided. As shown this locking member may be a sleeve or ferrule 12 slidable longitudinally on shank 1. A recess 13 is provided within the ferrule in which is housed a coil spring 14 engaging the shoulder of the ferrule in the inner end of the recess and pressing the ferrule into abutment with the shoulder 8. A seat for the spring at its lowermost end is provided in the form of a collar or laterally projecting member 15 removably fas# tened to shank 1 by a set screw 16. This collar 15 extends part-way into the recess 13 and serves as a guide for the ferrule.

If the device is to beused as an ordinary screw driver, the parts. will be in position shown in Fig. 1, where it will be noted the locking ferrule 12 overlaps the leg 7, preventing swinging movement thereof. Should greater leverage be required or desired,l the ferrule 12 is depressed against the tension of spring 141 and the handle 6 tilted and swung on its pivot to the horizontal position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 so that it may serve as provided a lever to enable' easier and more a'dvan- 'pressed Vanfilp'held against the tension of 'springl'l leg 7 .then moved into the slot 4 and the ferriile then released 'whereupon the `spring restores it to the position shown in Fissi and f2, overlapping and locking the leg r(and handle. l It is. to be realized that, the form. de-

scribed-"is but lone embodiment of fthe instruction although the principle of opera' tion remains the same. ln .Fig. 3 the shank .20 which is the equivalent of ferrule l2', eX-

tendselose to the handleand the handle 22 isof different shape, having a much shorter looking leg 23 and a diderent'shaped tool.

.endlQ-. As 'regards Fig. 4;, the screw drv Aing shank is designated 30, a lateralenlargement equivalent to collar l5 is shown at 3l, theferrule is 352.l the spring 33,the

i-second shank y34,A itsarms 35 and slot' 26.

The handle has a short locking leg 37 joined to the arms 35 by a pivot pin 38, and has a blade 39 integral with the leg 37 and to which grip sections 40 are faste-ned by rivets 41. Whenthe ferrule 32 is depressed,`

the handle is moved to horizontal position j and the ferrule then released. In this form as in Fig. 35 the handle on both sides of the pvot -rest on the ferrule so as to prevent pivotal movement of the handle Without shifting of the ferrule.

I claim:

The combinationof a-body, a handle piv' oted thereto and provided with a tool, and a spring `pressed ferrulel slidable to overlap the tool to fasten the tool and handle against pivotal movement relative to the body.v

In testimony whereof l aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Y JOHN W. COWELL.

Witnesses:

THOMAS P. BRADFIELD, FRANCIS A. STAGE. p 

